While the Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) will cease operations from Thursday over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) directive to borewell owners to either obtain licences from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) or shut shop, MWTA General Secretary Rajesh Thakur told mid-day, “We are not going on strike. We are just following the BMC’s order. The deadline given by the civic body [for well owners to get CGWA licences] will end on Thursday, so we will stop operating tankers to avoid legal complications.”

Non-potable water will not be supplied for the duration of the strike while the supply of potable water is likely to be impacted a bit. The actual effects of the agitation will be witnessed in the next five to six days. Around 1800 to 2000 tankers provide 200 to 250 million litres of non-potable water daily. This is mainly used for commercial purposes as well as infrastructure projects, according to Thakur. “Also, the supply of around 50 million litres of potable water by tankers will stop,” he added.